FireKrakouer
Gentlemen, this is democracy manifest.
- Jul 5, 2011
- 15,244
- 22,974
- AFL Club
- Collingwood
"Ninja", popular streamer of the game Fortnite, reportedly earns $600k USD per month. There are now many pro gamers earning significantly more than the highest paid AFL players.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ninja_(streamer)
Do we need to be concerned by the popularity of these role models amongst the new generation, or is it just a typical case of the older generations being fearful of change?
I acknowledge that many athletes in the AFL and other sports are not particularly great as role models, and get up to all kinds of trouble. But I would argue that at least when kids try to become like their favorite footy player, they are getting outside and joining footy teams, exercising, and socialising with other people face to face.
I was recently linked to the subreddit "neckbeardnests" when discussing Jordan Peterson's simple "clean up your room" message. This community revolves around pictures of the trashed bedrooms of people suffering from depression or similar.
One thing that stood out to me was that the majority of these bedrooms seemed to feature a PC gaming setup.
https://www.reddit.com/r/NeckbeardNests/
The cheap dopamine rush supplied by gaming (or by using pornography - and the two seem to often go together) is thought to be addictive in a way similar to recreational drugs. They are also thought to lower motivation for people to succeed with traditional life goals, as their brains reward circuitry is already being satisfied.
https://www.abc.net.au/triplej/programs/hack/how-your-brain-gets-hooked-on-gaming/8401616
Then there is the issue of a "toxic culture" that seems rampant in the gaming industry.
"Swatting", where someone's location is discovered and an individual reports a significant crime at that location, prompting a SWAT team response, has become a common tactic used against online streamers. This tactic has resulted in a death on at least one occasion.
There are too many other examples to list, but a recent one was an Australian streamer who belted his pregnant wife a couple of times on a live stream. In another video he calls his toddler daughter a campaigner to her face, and tells her to "* off".
A lot to unpack here. I believe that gaming can be part of a healthy lifestyle, and will inevitably grow larger going forward. But there are a few issues for parents to be aware of. Like alcohol, gaming can be utilised in a safe and responsible manner, but can also become a life-destroying addiction.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ninja_(streamer)
Do we need to be concerned by the popularity of these role models amongst the new generation, or is it just a typical case of the older generations being fearful of change?
I acknowledge that many athletes in the AFL and other sports are not particularly great as role models, and get up to all kinds of trouble. But I would argue that at least when kids try to become like their favorite footy player, they are getting outside and joining footy teams, exercising, and socialising with other people face to face.
I was recently linked to the subreddit "neckbeardnests" when discussing Jordan Peterson's simple "clean up your room" message. This community revolves around pictures of the trashed bedrooms of people suffering from depression or similar.
One thing that stood out to me was that the majority of these bedrooms seemed to feature a PC gaming setup.
https://www.reddit.com/r/NeckbeardNests/
The cheap dopamine rush supplied by gaming (or by using pornography - and the two seem to often go together) is thought to be addictive in a way similar to recreational drugs. They are also thought to lower motivation for people to succeed with traditional life goals, as their brains reward circuitry is already being satisfied.
https://www.abc.net.au/triplej/programs/hack/how-your-brain-gets-hooked-on-gaming/8401616
Then there is the issue of a "toxic culture" that seems rampant in the gaming industry.
"Swatting", where someone's location is discovered and an individual reports a significant crime at that location, prompting a SWAT team response, has become a common tactic used against online streamers. This tactic has resulted in a death on at least one occasion.
There are too many other examples to list, but a recent one was an Australian streamer who belted his pregnant wife a couple of times on a live stream. In another video he calls his toddler daughter a campaigner to her face, and tells her to "* off".
A lot to unpack here. I believe that gaming can be part of a healthy lifestyle, and will inevitably grow larger going forward. But there are a few issues for parents to be aware of. Like alcohol, gaming can be utilised in a safe and responsible manner, but can also become a life-destroying addiction.